Sunday, 8 February 2015

Anzac Day...Classroom ideas + FREE Printable Wall Posters!

This blog post jumps around a little, as I thought I'd share a few easy Anzac day activities that my class has enjoyed over the years, plus some reflections on the importance of Anzac Day to me personally.

Every year I like to create a small wall display that expands as we add to it (which is why this photo shows a 'window winder' in the middle of this display - It was the only wall space left in my classroom that was free, and was one of those displays that started small, and then grew!) The children brought in photos and memorabilia as part of their homework, which I then photocopied before popping up on the wall. They dictated to me what they wanted the captions to say (year 2 classroom - 6 year olds)

Moldy Cupcakes & Mysterious letters!

One memorable year, an amazing parent contributed to our Anzac commemorations by bringing in a 'mystery package' they'd 'discovered' in storage......it contained an old letter (handwritten and aged by the parent) and a cupcake with a note (that stated that the sender hoped the cupcake hadn't gone moldy during postage). The cupcake had 'moldy' green icing on it to add the to drama which the kids LOVED! The letter also contained a 'new recipe' for Anzac bikkies which of course we had to make. While we waited for them to bake, we wrote and then aged our own letters about Anzac day using tea bags to give them an authentically aged colour.

"My Grandad won in many wars. He got 5 medals. I like Grandad"

The photo below shows some of our Anzac day commemorations - a wreath that all the children contributed a poppy towards, special news with precious family items, & an Anzac ceremony at our school flagpole.

If you're looking for a more in depth Anzac Day resource, have a peek at my Anzac Day pack - perfect for Kiwi and Aussie kids, especially in the lead up to the 2015 100th anniversary commemorations at Gallipoli.